Naturae Ribera Cohousing

Urban regeneration in Aranda de Duero: housing, energy, circularity and nature

A new model of urban regeneration

Intermediate cities face complex challenges: rising temperatures, energy dependence, biodiversity loss, water pressure, and social fragmentation.

Naturae Ribera was created as an integrated response to these challenges. It doesn’t propose isolated solutions, but rather a systemic approach that connects housing, energy, nature, and community in a single, coherent project.

It is located at Calle Sol de las Moreras 6–16, in the center of Aranda de Duero, transforming an urban plot into a space for climate and social innovation.

Vision

Create a replicable urban regeneration model that synergistically integrates:

  • High-quality collaborative housing
  • Energy self-sufficiency and equity
  • Circular resource economy
  • Urban rewilding
  • Public-private partnerships for the common good

Objetive

Develop a demonstrator project that increases urban climate resilience, reduces emissions and waste, improves biodiversity, and strengthens social cohesion.

Community before building

Naturae Ribera is structured as a collaborative housing cooperative made up of 11 households.

Members not only live in the building: they actively participate in its design, execution and continuous improvement, contributing technical knowledge, professional experience and long-term commitment.

The project includes ample common areas:

  • Playroom
  • Shared laundry
  • Organic gardens
  • Tool shed
  • urban forest

Housing is conceived as social and climate infrastructure: efficient, healthy, comfortable and designed to reduce energy vulnerabilities.

Collaboration is not future: it begins from the design and construction phase.

Participatory governance

The cooperative model allows:

  • Optimize resources
  • Reduce costs
  • Improve technical quality
  • Increase project commitment and stability

Collaboration is not future: it begins from the design and construction phase.

Shared energy. Fair energy. Smart energy.

Naturae Ribera integrates a local energy community based on:

  • Solar photovoltaic production
  • Collective self-consumption
  • Complementarity of consumption profiles

The system connects:

  • Cooperative housing (evening/nighttime use)
  • Ribering Coworking (daytime use)

As a differentiating element, the system incorporates energy storage using a hydrogen fuel cell, developed in collaboration with the technology startup Kinergy.

This allows:

  • Storing surplus solar energy
  • Covering energy needs outside of production hours
  • Demonstrating advanced technologies at a community level

The urban forest acts as a natural thermal regulator, reducing temperatures in summer and decreasing the energy demand for air conditioning.

Biodiversity and energy work in synergy.

An urban forest in the city center

On the non-buildable area of ​​the plot (~300 m²) a Nature-based Solution will be developed consisting of:

  • Biodiverse urban forest with native species from the Ribera del Duero region
  • Integrated organic gardens
  • Design inspired by urban rewilding principles

The space will have regulated public access in collaboration with the City Council.

Environmental and climate impact

  • Reduction of the urban heat island effect
  • Increased biodiversity
  • Carbon sequestration
  • Improved air quality
  • Water retention and improved water cycle

Energy impact

  • Increased self-consumption
  • Reduced CO₂ emissions
  • Demonstration of community hydrogen storage

Social and health impact

  • Citizen access to urban nature
  • Improved physical and mental well-being
  • Environmental education
  • Strengthening of the social fabric

Adaptive monitoring and management

For at least three years, the following will be monitored:

  • Biodiversity
  • Microclimate
  • Energy consumption
  • Social use of space
  • Water and waste management

A replicable model

Naturae Ribera is conceived as a pilot project with high potential for replication in other plots and neighborhoods of Aranda de Duero, the Ribera del Duero and other intermediate cities in Spain and Europe.

It demonstrates that a just, resilient, and nature-based urban transition is possible.

A replicable model for intermediate cities in Spain and Europe.

We will provide more details and ways to participate in the project shortly.